Opera in the Heights Presents Verdi's "Rigoletto"

HOUSTON – Opera in the Heights (OH) opens the new season on Thursday, September 21, 2006 with the production of “Rigoletto,” Giuseppe Verdi’s famous opera based on Victor Hugo’s novel about the royal seduction of an innocent girl and the curse which led to her tragic end.

“We at Opera in the Heights are pleased to be able to offer to our old and new audience members a truly outstanding performance of this classic opera by Verdi,” said Roy Hughes, now in his first season as OH managing director.

Artistic director William Weibel will conduct all performances of “Rigoletto.” Christopher Fecteau, assistant conductor, and Keith Chapman, vocal coach, lend their expertise for this dramatic production which embodies all the great traditions of grand opera: intrigue, tragedy, mistaken identity, fate and, of course, some of the greatest music in the world of opera.

For each production, OH engages two equally experienced casts of lead singers rather than a main cast and a cover cast.

“We are pleased to have six exciting singers making their debuts in this production,” said Weibel. “In choosing performers, we look for talented singers with the potential to be future stars in the opera field and whose careers will be enhanced by appearances at OH.”

Sheri Shoemake will serve as lighting and make-up designer for all four OH productions, and Reba Kochersperger, OH’s former general director, will return as costumer for the season. For “Rigoletto,” Lynda Keith McKnight will serve as stage director, and Nickolas Bakaysa will function as set designer.

Performances of “Rigoletto” begin at 8:00 p.m. in the recently remodeled Lambert Hall, 1703 Heights Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77008. The opera will be sung in Italian with English surtitles.

The opera opens in the court of the womanizing Duke of Mantua where Rigoletto, his hunchback court jester, suggests the Duke imprison Count Ceprano in order to pursue his wife, the Countess. Ceprano vows revenge upon Rigoletto for the insult and an elderly courtier, Monterone, curses Rigoletto for enabling the Duke’s evil pursuits.

Rigoletto keeps his daughter Gilda hidden from the Duke at a house where she is protected by her nurse Giovanna. But the Duke bribes Giovanna and professes his love to Gilda, telling her he is a poor student. Some courtiers arrive in the street to exact Ceprano’s vengeance by abducting Gilda. They meet Rigoletto and enlist his aid by telling him they have come to abduct Ceprano’s wife for the Duke’s pleasure. The courtiers blindfold Rigoletto who, in his confusion, puts the ladder against his own house. The courtiers break in and carry off Gilda. Realizing he has been duped, Rigoletto rushes to the Duke’s quarters where he finds her disheveled in shame. Rigoletto vows revenge, but Gilda, now in love with the Duke begs for his pardon.

Rigoletto takes Gilda to Sparafucile’s Inn and forces her to watch the Duke make love to Sparafucile’s sister, Maddalena. He tells Gilda to go home and dress herself as a boy so that they can escape to Verona. Rigoletto bribes Sparafucile to murder the Duke but Maddalena begs Sparafucile to substitute the next guest as the victim. Deciding to sacrifice herself for the Duke, Gilda knocks at the door of the inn where Sparafucile stabs her and places her in a sack. Rigoletto returns to collect the Duke’s body but he hears the Duke’s voice in the distance and frantically cuts open the sack to find the dying Gilda. The opera ends with Rigoletto’s cries that Monterone’s curse has been fulfilled.

Baritones Brian Carter and Hak Joon Kim share the role of Rigoletto. Carter, who made his debut with OH in “Luisa Miller” is a doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin. He has performed many roles in productions at Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera San José and Austin Lyric Opera. Kim is a native of Seoul, Korea and earned a master’s degree in music from the Juilliard School in New York.

Tenors Benjamin Bunsold and Michael Wade Lee will appear as the Duke of Mantua. Earlier this year, Bunsold made his debut with the Glimmerglass Opera Young American Apprenticeship Program where he sang the role of American 1 in “Death in Venice.” He also recently made his debut with the Van Cliburn Foundation’s “Cliburn at the Modern” series as Nico in Mark Adamo’s new opera, “Lysistrata,” in a concert/lecture presented by the composer. Lee is a native of Texas and has appeared with the Indiana Opera Theatre, Nashville Opera and the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. He has been hailed as a tenor who is “most impressive, with a well-articulated voice, clarity and remarkable color.”

The role of Gilda will be shared by Sopranos Dalma Boronkai and Corinne Brier. Boronkai graduated from Houston Baptist University with a degree in vocal performance. She also has a master’s in vocal performance from the Shepherd School of Music. She has performed widely with the Francisco Merola Opera Program, Seattle Opera, Santa Fe Opera and the New York International Opera Program. Brier has previously performed with OH and returns this season. She recently performed in “Le Nozze di Figaro,” “L’Elisir d’Amore” and “Die Fledermaus” and as soloist with Hunter College for “Alexander’s Feast.”

Scott Tomlinson, from Austin, will play the role of Sparafucile, and Shannon Denise Talley will come from Denton, Texas to be Maddalena.

Individual tickets are $41 and $31, and season subscriptions range from $93 to $144. A reduced rate for anyone under 12 or over 65 ($26 individual or $93 season) is available for any Thursday or Friday performance. Tickets and subscriptions can be purchased at www.operaintheheights.org or by contacting Opera in the Heights’ office, 1703 Heights Blvd., Houston, Texas, 713-861-5303.


PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:
Thursday, September 21, 2006, 8:00 p.m.
Friday, September 22, 2006, 8:00 p.m.
*Saturday, September 23, 2006, 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, September 23, 2006, 8:00 p.m.
*Monday, September 25, 2006, 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 28, 2006, 8:00 p.m.
Friday, September 29, 2006, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 30, 2006, 8:00 p.m.

*Special one-hour performances


FOUNDER’S CIRCLE
For individuals contributing $500 and above, priority seating and reserved parking are available, in addition to other exciting benefits. Call OH’s office for more information. 713-861-5303.

SPECIAL PERFORMANCES
The special one-hour performances, offered at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on the Monday following opening weekend, consist of lively narration and well-known arias, duets, and ensemble pieces, all accompanied by piano. The program concludes with a question and answer session between the cast and audience. These programs are designed for groups of students or senior citizens in a venue that can provide the intimacy Opera in the Heights’ audiences love. For “Rigoletto,” there will be an additional “family date” performance at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23. Tickets are $5.00. Reservations are required. 713-861-5303.

“RIGOLETTO” LECTURE
On the evening before Opera in the Heights opening nights, Houston’s preeminent opera lecturer Ann Thompson will present a delightful, informative, multimedia talk about the upcoming opera. The “Rigoletto” lecture will be held at the Thompson home on Wednesday, September 20, 2006, 7:30 p.m. These events are a real bargain at only $5.00! Call OH’s office at 713-861-5303 for reservations and directions.


OTHER OH PRODUCTIONS THIS SEASON:
Mozart’s “Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail” (“Abduction from the Seraglio”)
November 9-11 and 16-18, 2006, 7:30 p.m.

Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore” (“Elixir of Love”)
January 25-27 and February 1-3, 2007, 7:30 p.m.

Mozart’s “Don Giovanni”
March 22-24 and 29-31, 2007, 7:30 p.m.



OPERA IN THE HEIGHTS is a nonprofit, professional, regional opera company serving the Greater Houston area with high quality opera and concert performances in an intimate setting, at an affordable price. Each season, the company presents four fully staged and costumed productions of traditional operas, performed in the original language with English surtitles and accompanied by orchestra. It operates under the guidance of a Board of Directors, Artistic Director William Weibel and Managing Director Roy Hughes. Opera in the Heights is funded in part by grants from Texas Commission on the Arts and from the City of Houston through the Cultural Arts Council of Houston/Harris County.
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